5907 —לנצל כל פגישה לעורר בעל השפעה לבחון מחדש את דרכו – האומץ לומר "טעות הם בידי"

B"H, 8 Kislev, 5718

Brooklyn.

The veteran Chassid, a G‑d-fearing man, distinguished and honored, whose work is the work of Heaven^[1], our teacher Rabbi David Avraham, may he live

Shalom u'Vrachah!

After a most prolonged interruption, your letter of 27 Cheshvan was received, and I was pleased to read in it an outline^[2] of your activities in the past month of Tishrei,

and since, as you write, you meet from time to time with Mr. Zerubavel^[3] – who, as you surely know, has the power of influence in a certain fairly wide circle – you should have used every meeting for words of arousal. And since his activities in an undesirable direction stem mainly from his being very used to them, and not because he reflects now and comes to a decision that this is what must be done, then if they arouse him time after time without letup about the great harm and destruction he causes by this^[4], instead of using his talents to increase good in the world in general, and the Jewish people in particular, then, in the end, the words will have their effect, since the truth must win, though sometimes it takes long,

It is understood that in this case and the like, where the hindrance for him is the greatest, it should be according to what is said at the beginning of all four parts of Shulchan Aruch: let him not be ashamed before the scoffers^[5]. Now, the stir it would make in those circles is understood, if he were to reflect on his approach until now, and when he comes to the opposite decision, publish it without paint or powder^[6]. But by what is heard, in his activities until now he was not much impressed by the opinion of the majority. And if this is so in matters of misfortune, how much more so must he use his courage in the greater measure of good^[7], and say, "The things I have said before you until now were a mistake on my part"^[8]. And in the manner of the above: if on the side of misfortune they said, "Do not trust yourself"^[9], how much more so with regard to a change for the good,

And may it be G‑d's will that you too not be ashamed, and speak of all the above and in keeping with the truth; for words that come from the heart, we have already been assured, enter the heart^[10]. It is understood that you have permission to mention, in the conversation you hold about this, what I have written you, if in your opinion it would be of some benefit in the matter itself.

And then you also have permission to add that surely doubts awoke in him long ago, only he tries to silence them himself, and as soon as they come to mind, to push them away – as is human nature, that people are afraid to look again at whether their way of life is right, for this requires special courage. But precisely because he has influence on very many, that is, his correcting himself will be multiplied many times over in those he influences, he must not retreat, nor be afraid of making the reckoning again^[11] and yet again.

And in keeping with the instruction of our Sages, that although one who injures himself is exempt – at least by the hand of man – one who injures others, etc.^[12] And as a sign and a proof to your above-mentioned relative that the time has come to review his past approach once again, let him take the dream that came close to your speaking with him^[13].

As for what you write about your dwelling in Kfar Chabad and its drawbacks: the contradiction is clear, since these words came in the very letter in which you write about your relatives' visits to you and their results^[14]. And if, as in the well-known saying cited many times in the talks of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, a soul descends below for seventy or eighty years even just to do one favor for a Jew, spiritually or materially^[15], how much more so your dwelling in Kfar Chabad, "for there the L‑rd commanded the blessing"^[16], which in any case is a lofty matter, and especially since one mitzvah draws another^[17], and matters such as the above come about.

As for what you write about the housing project^[18]: one would need to know what sort of people the candidates are. And surely, if only the suitable sort, they will be among the candidates...

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 21, p. 394, and completed from the secretariat's copy.

Our teacher Rabbi David Avraham, may he live (מו"ה דוד אברהם שי'): Leselboim, Kfar Chabad. Further letters to him – above, vol. 11, letter 3392; below, letter 6090.

Notes

1. Whose work is the work of Heaven (מלאכתו מלאכת שמים): After the words of our Sages to a scribe (Eruvin 13a): "My son, be careful in your work, for your work is the work of Heaven." The other titles: הוו"ח = הוותיק וחסיד, אי"א = איש ירא אלקים, נו"נ = נעלה ונכבד. The recipient is R. David Avraham Leselboim of Kfar Chabad (see the publisher's notes).

2. An outline (ר"פ): ראשי פרקים, "the main points."

3. Mr. Zerubavel (מר זרובבל): Mr. Yaakov Zerubavel, one of the leaders of the Left Poalei Zion party, a writer and public figure far from Torah observance; a relative of the recipient (through his wife, who was also of the Leselboim family). In this letter the Rebbe asks the recipient to use every meeting to arouse him to re-examine his path. In his letter of 4 Adar 5718 (letter 6090) the Rebbe writes that he was very pleased that the recipient finally managed to fulfill his request and convey the words to Mr. Zerubavel, and that it was especially good that he did not enter into debates; a copy of the Rebbe's words should be given to him only if he specifically asks for it. As the recipient later related (chabad.org), Zerubavel did eventually ask for the copy, and the recipient gave it to him.

4. By this (עי"ז): על ידי זה. Since his path comes mainly from habit rather than a fresh decision, repeated words of arousal will in the end have their effect, "since the truth must win."

5. At the beginning of all four parts of Shulchan Aruch (בתחלת כל ד' חלקי שולחן ערוך): At the very start of the whole Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 1 (Rema there, 1:1; and the Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 1:3): "He should not be ashamed before people who scoff at him in the service of his Creator." The Rebbe stresses "all four parts": this is the first instruction of the entire Shulchan Aruch, the foundation for the rest.

6. Without paint or powder (מבלי כחל ושרק): Without any embellishment, after the Sages' phrase "neither eye-paint nor rouge" (Kesubos 17a). When he reaches the opposite decision he should publish it openly and plainly; that is the "stir" it would make in those circles, and why it takes courage.

7. In the greater measure of good (במרובה מדה טובה): After the saying of our Sages, "The measure of good is greater than the measure of punishment" (Yoma 76a). If in his undesirable path he paid little attention to majority opinion, surely he must use his courage for good.

8. "The things I have said before you... were a mistake on my part" (דברים שאמרתי לפניכם... טעות הם בידי): The words of the Sages who publicly retracted their teaching; see Eruvin 104a: "Rava again set up an interpreter and expounded: The things I said before you were a mistake on my part."

9. "Do not trust yourself" (אל תאמין בעצמך): After Hillel's saying (Avos 2:4): "Do not trust yourself until the day of your death" (and Bartenura there: for Yochanan the High Priest served eighty years and in the end became a Sadducee). If on the side of bad a person cannot be sure he will not change, how much more so can he change for the good.

10. Words that come from the heart... enter the heart (דברים היוצאים מן הלב... נכנסים אל הלב): See Sefer HaYashar attributed to Rabbeinu Tam, Gate 13.

11. Again (עוה"פ): עוד הפעם. ז.א. = זאת אומרת, "that is."

12. One who injures himself is exempt (החובל בעצמו פטור): After the Mishnah (Bava Kamma 90b): "One who injures himself, although he is not permitted to, is exempt; others who injured him are liable." One who injures himself is exempt at least under human law, but one who injures others is liable; and when a man influences many, his error harms them too.

13. The dream (החלום): A dream Mr. Zerubavel had close to the time of his conversation with the recipient, which the recipient described in his letter; the Rebbe writes that it should serve him as a sign that the time has come to examine his path again.

14. The contradiction is clear (מובנת הסתירה): In the same letter in which he wrote of the drawbacks of living in Kfar Chabad, he also wrote of his relatives' visits and what came of them; that itself shows the virtue of their living there.

15. A soul descends below for seventy or eighty years (נשמה יורדת למטה למשך שבעים שמונים שנה): A saying of the Baal Shem Tov; see Hayom Yom, 5 Iyar: "A soul descends to this world and lives seventy or eighty years in order to do a Jew a favor materially, and especially spiritually."

16. "For there the L‑rd commanded the blessing" (אשר שם צוה ה' את הברכה): Tehillim 133:3: "for there the L‑rd commanded the blessing, life forever."

17. One mitzvah draws another (מצוה גוררת מצוה): Avos 4:2.

18. The housing project (השכון): The new housing project about to be built in Kfar Chabad; see below, letter 5911 (10 Kislev 5718), to Zalman Shazar, on establishing the housing in Kfar Chabad. The Rebbe writes that one would need to know what kind of people the candidates to live there are.

Summary

This letter asks the recipient to use every meeting with his relative, an influential secular leader, to arouse him to re-examine his path: since it comes from habit, persistent words from the heart will in the end prevail, for truth must win. Not to fear the scoffers is the first instruction of the Shulchan Aruch, and since his influence reaches many, he needs the courage to say publicly, "I was mistaken." It also shows the recipient that living in Kfar Chabad is itself a great merit.